A BRIEFE REMEMBRANCE OF ALL THE ENGLISH MONARCHS,
From the Normans Conquest, vntill this present.
BY IOHN TAYLOR
LONDON:
Printed by George Eld, for Henry Gosson. 1618.
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WILLIAM THE FIRST, Surnamed the CONQVEROVR: KING OF ENGLAND, And DVKE OF NORMANDIE.
William Conquerour.
BY bloudy battels, Conquest, and by Fate,
Faire Englands Crowne and Kingdom I surpris'd:
I topsie-turuy turn'd the English State,
And Lawes and Customes new and strange deuis'd.
And where I vanquish't, there I tyranniz'd,
In stead of peoples loue, inforcing feare:
Extorting Tolls I daily exercis'd,
And Tributes, greater then this Land could beare.
Besides, (the Normans fame the more to reare)
The English I forbad the English tongue,
French Schooles of Grammer I ordayned here,
And' gainst this Nation added wrong to wrong.
At last my Crowne, Sword, Scepter, Conquest braue
I left, I lost, scarce found an earthly Graue.
WILLIAM THE SECOND, Surnamed RVFVS: KING OF ENGLAND, And DVKE OF NORMANDIE.
William Rufus.
WHat my triumphant Father wan, I held,
I pill'd and poll'd this Kingdom more then he.
Great Tributes from my people I compeld:
No place in Church, or Common-wealth was free,
But alwayes those that would giue most to mee
Obtain'd their purpose being wrong or right.
The Clergy I enforced to agree
To sell Church-plate and Challices out-right,
Vntill at last (by the Almighties might)
My Kingly power and force was forcelesse made,
My glorious pomp that seem'd t'eclips mens sight,
Did vanish by a glance, by chance, and fade:
For hunting in New forrest (voyd of feare)
A Subiect slew me, shooting at a Deere.
HENRY THE FIRST, Surnamed BEAVCLERK: KING OF ENGLAND, And DVKE OF NORMANDIE.
Henry I.
MY Father and my Brother Kings, both gone,
With acclamations Royall I was crown'd:
And hauing gain'd the Scepter and the Throne,
I with the name of Beauclerk was renown'd:
The English Lawes long lost, I did refound,
False weights and measures I corrected true.
The power of Wales in fight I did confound,
And Normandy my valour did subdue.
Yet I vnmindfull whence these glories grew,
My eldest Brother Robert did surprise,
Detain'd him, and vsurp'd his Royall due,
And most vnnat'rally pluckt out his eyes,
Kings liue like Gods, but yet like men they dye,
All must pay Natures due, and so did I.
STEPHEN KING OF ENGLAND, And DVKE OF NORMANDIE.
K. Stephen.
BY wrested Titles and vsurping claime,
Through storms & tempests of tumultuous wars,
The Crowne, (my fayrest marke and fouleft ayme)
I won and wore, beleaguerd round with iars.
The English, Scots, and Normans all prepares
Their powers exposing to oppose my powers,
Whilst this Land laden and or'ewhelm'd with cares
Endures, whilst war, woe, want, and death deuoures,
But as years, months, weeks, daies, decline by howers,
Howers into minutes, minutes into nought:
My painefull pomp decaid like fading flowers
And vnto nought was my Ambition brought.
Thus is the state of transitory things,
There's nothing can be permanent with Kings.
HENRY THE SECOND, KING OF ENGLAND, DVKE OF NORMANDIE, Guyen and Aquitaine, &c.
Henry 2.
TO th'Empresse Maud I was vndoubted heyre,
And in her Right my title being iust,
By Iustice I obtain'd the Regall Chayre.
Fayre Rosamond I soyled with foule lust,
For which Heauens Iustice (hating deedes vniust)
Stir'd vp my wife and Sonnes to be my foes:
Who sought to lay my Glory in the dust,
And he m'd me round with cruell wars and woes.
They poysned my sweet beautious tainted Rose,
By Isabels deuice my furious Queene:
My very bowels 'gainst me did oppose:
Such fruit hath lust, such force hath iealous spleene.
My cursed crosses made me curse my birth,
With care I liu'd, raign'd, dyed, and turn'd to earth.
RICHARD THE FIRST, Surnamed CVER DE LYON. KING OF ENGLAND, DVKE OF NORMANDIE, Guyen and Aquitaine, &c.
Richard I.
THrough my Creators mercy and his might,
Ierusalem I conquer'd and set free
False misbeleeuing ewes, and Turkish spight
From Iury force perforce I forc'd to flee.
The Realme of Cipresse was subdude by mee.
Sicillia trembled a: my prowesse bold.
King Tancred bought his peace, and did agree,
And paid mee threescore ounces of fine gold,
Whilst I abroad won honours manifold.
Aspiring Iohn (my Brother) vext my Realme.
In Austria I was tane, and laid in hold:
Thus flouds of griefe each way me ouer-whelme.
At last I home return'd, my Ransome paid,
My earthly glory in a Graue was laid.
IOHN KING OF ENGLAND, DVKE OF NORMANDIE, Guyen and Aquitaine: LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
K. John.
ROmes mighty miterd Metropolitan
I did oppose, and was by him depos'd:
He turn'd his cursed blessings to his ban,
And caus'd me round to be with cares inclos'd.
The English and the Normans me oppos'de,
And Lewis of France my Kingdome did molest,
Whilst I to all these miseries expos'd,
Consum'd my Kingly dayes in restlesse rest.
At last the Pope was pleas'd, and I reblest;
Peace was obtain'd, proclaim'd I re-inthroan'd.
Thus was my raigne with woes opprest and prest,
Blest curst, friends, foes, diuided and atton'd.
And after seauenteene yeares were gone and past,
At Swinstead poysned, there I dranke my last.
HENRY THE THIRD, KING OF ENGLAND, Lord of IRELAND, DVKE OF NORMANDIE, Guyen and Aquitaine, &c.
Henry 3.
IN toyle and trouble, midst contentious broyles,
I seiz'd the Scepter of this famous Land:
Then being greatly wasted with the spoyles
Which Lewis had made with his French furious band
But I with Peeres and people brauely mand,
Repeld, repulst, expulst insulting foes.
My Barons did my Soueraigntie withstand,
And wrapt themselues and me in wars and woes:
But in each battell none but I did lose,
I lost my Subiects liues on euery side:
(From Ciuill wars no better gayning growes)
Friends, foes, my people, all, that fought or dyed.
My gaines was lesse, my pleasure was my paine.
These were the triumphs of my troublous Raigne.
EDWARD THE FIRST, KING OF ENGLAND, Lord of IRELAND, Duke of AQVITAINE, &c.
Edward Long-shankes.
MY Victories, my Valour, and my strength,
My Actions, and my neuer-conquer'd name,
Were spred throghout the world in bredth & length
By mortall deeds, I wan immortall Fame.
Rebellious Wales I finally did tame,
And made them Vassalls to my Princely Son:
Ientred Scotland fierce with Sword and Flame,
And almost all that Kingdome ouerrun.
Still where I fought, triumphantly I won,
Through Blood and Death my Glory I obtain'd:
But in the end when all my acts were done,
A Sepulcher was all the gaine I gain'd.
For though great Kings contend for earthly sway,
Death binds them to the peace, and parts the fray.
EDWARD THE SECOND, KING OF ENGLAND, Lord of IRELAND, Duke of AQVITAINE, &c.
Edward 2.
SOone after was my fathers Corps inter'd,
Whilst Fate and Fortune did on me attend:
And to the Royall Throne I was prefer'd,
With Aue Casar euery knee did bend,
But all these fickle ioyes, did fading end,
Peirce Gaueston, to thee my loue combinde:
My friendship to thee scarce left me a friend,
But made my Queene, Peeres, People, all vnkind,
I tortur'd, both in body and in mind
Was vanquisht by the Scots at Bannocks Bourne:
And I enforc't by flight some safety finde,
Yet taken by my Wife at my returne,
A Red-hot spit my Bowels through did gore,
Such misery, no Slaue endured more.
EDWARD THE THIRD, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE, LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Edward 3.
IN Peace and War, my Stars auspitious stood,
False Fortune stedfast held her wauering Wheele;
I did reuenge my Fathers butche'rd blood,
I forced France my furious force to feele:
I Warr'd on Scotland with triumphing Steele,
Afflicting them with slaughtcring Sword and Fire:
That Kingdome then deuided needs mustreele,
Betwixt the Bruces and the Balliols ire.
Thus daily still my glory mounted higher,
With blacke Prince Edward my victorious Son,
Vnto the top of Honor wee aspire,
By manly, Princely, worthy actions done.
But all my Triumphs, fortunes, strength, and force,
Age brought to death, and death turn'd to a Coarse.
RICHARD THE SECOND, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE: LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Richard 2.
A Sun-shine morne, precedes a showry day,
A Calme at Sea oft times fore-runnes a Storme:
All is not gold that soemes so glistring gay:
Foule Vice is fairest features Canker-worme,
So I that was of blood, descent and forme,
The perfect image of a royall stock,
Vnseason'd young a duice did me deforme,
Split all my Hopes against Despaires black rock,
My Regall name and power was made a mock,
My Subiects madly in Rebellion rose,
Mischiefe on mischiefe all in troopes did flock,
Oppos'd, depos'd, expos'd, inclos'd in woes,
With wauering fortunes, troublously I raign'd,
Slaine by soule murther, peace and rest I gaind.
HENRY THE FOVRTH KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE: LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Henry 4.
FRom right (wrong-doing) Richard I did wrest
His Crowne mis-guided, but on me mis-plac'd:
Vnciuill Ciuill Wars my Realme molest,
And English men did England spoyle and wast.
The Sire the Son, the Son the Father chas'd,
Vndutifull, vnkind, vnnaturall,
Both Yorke and Lancaster were rais'd and rac'd,
As Conquest did to either Faction fall.
But still I grip'd the Scepter and the Ball,
And what by wrong I won, by might I wore:
For Prince of Wales I did my Son install,
But as my Martiall Fame grew more and more,
By fatall Fate my vitall threed was cut,
And all my Greatnes in a Graue was put.
HENRY THE FIFT, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE: LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Henry 5.
FRom my Lancastrian Sire succesiuely,
I Englands glorious golden Garland got:
I temperd Iustice with mild clemency,
Much bloud I shed, yet bloud-shed loued not.
Time my Sepulchre and my bones may rot,
But I ime can neuer end my endlesse fame.
O' liuion cannot my braue acts out blot,
Or make Forgetfulnesse forget my name.
I plaid all France at Tennise such a Game,
With roaring Rackets, bandyed Bals and Foyles:
And what I plaid for, still I won the same,
Triumphantly transporting home the spoyles.
But in the end grim Death my life affail'd,
And as I liu'd I dy'd, belou'd, bewayl'd.
HENRY THE SIXT, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE: LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Henry 6.
GReat Englands Mars (my Father) being dead,
I, not of yeares, or yeare; but eight months old:
The Diadem was plac't vpon my head,
In royall Robes the Scepter I did hold:
But as th'Almighties workes are manifold,
Too high for mans conceit to comprehend:
In his eternall Register enrold
My Birth, my troublous Life and tragicke End.
'Gainst me the house of Yorke their force did bend,
And Peeres and People weltred in their gore:
My Crowne and Kingdome they from me did read,
Which I, my Sire, and Grandsire kept and wore.
Twice was I crown'd, vncrown'd, oft blest, oft crost,
And lastly, murdred, life and kingdome lost.
EDWARD THE FOVRTH, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE, LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Edward 4.
I Yorkes great heire (by fell domesticke Warre)
Inthroned was, vn-King'd, and reinthroan'd:
Subiecting quite the House of Lancaster,
Whilst wofull England ouerburthen'd, groan'd:
Old Sonlesse Sires and Childlesse Mothers moan'd:
These bloody broyles had lasted threescore yeares,
And till the time we were in peace attoan'd,
It wasted fourescore of the Royall Peeres:
But age and time all earthly things outweares,
Through terrours, horrors, mischiefe and debate,
By trust, by treason, by hopes, doubts and feares,
I got, I kept, I left and lost the State.
Thus as disposing heauens doe smile or frowne,
So Cares or Comforts waite vpon a Crowne.
EDWARD THE FIFT, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE, LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Edward 5.
IF birth, if beauty, innocence and youth,
Could make a Tyrant feele one sparke of grace,
My crooked Vncle had bene mou'd to ruth,
Beholding of my pittie-pleading face.
But what auailes to spring from royall Race?
What surety is in beauty, strength, or wit?
What is commaund, might, eminence and place,
When treason lurkes where Maiesty doth sit?
My haplesse selfe had true false proofe of it:
Nipt in my bud and blasted in my bloome:
Depriu'd of life by murther, most vnfit,
And for three Kingdomes could not haue one Tomb.
Thus Treason all my glory ouer-top't,
And e're the Fruite could spring, the Tree was lop't
RICHARD THE THIRD, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE: LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Richard 3.
AMbition's like vnto a quenchlesse thirst.
Ambition Angels threw from Heauen to Hell,
Ambition (that infernall Hag) accurst,
Ambitiously made me aspire, rebell:
Ambition, that damned Necromanticke Spell,
Made me clime proud, with shame to tumble downe.
By bloudy murther I did all expell,
Whose right, or might, debard me from the Crowne,
My smiles, my gifts, my fauours, or my frowne,
Were fain'd, corrupt, vile flattry, death and spight,
By cruell Tyranny I gat renowne,
Till Heau'ns iust Iudge me iustly did requite.
By blood I won, by blood I lost the Throne:
Detested liu'd; dy'd lou'd, bewail'd of none.
HENRY THE SEVENTH, KING OF ENGLAND, And FRANCE: LORD OF IRELAND, &c.
Henry 7.
I Was the Man (by Gods high grace assign'd)
That for this restlesse Kingdome purchas't Rest:
I Yorke and Lancaster in one combinde,
That sundred, had each other long opprest.
My strength and pollicy th'Almighty blest
With good successe, from first vnto the last:
And high Iehouah turned to the best,
A world of perils which my youth o're past.
The white and red Rose I conioyned fast
In sacred Marriages Coniugall band:
I Traytorstam'd, and treason stood agast
At mee; strong guarded by my Makers hand.
In glory and magnificence I Raign'd,
And fame, loue and a tombe was all I gainde.
HENRY THE EIGHT, KING OF ENGLAND, France and Ireland, Defender of the FAITH, &c.
Henry 8.
TO both the Royall Houses I was Heyre;
I made but one of long contending twaine:
This Realme diuided drooping in despaire,
I did rebinde in my auspicious Raigne.
I banisht Romish Vsurpation vaine.
In France I Bullen, Turwin, Turney wan:
The Stile of Faiths Defender I did gaine.
Sixe wiues I had, three An's, two Kates, one Iane.
In my expences Royall, beyond measure,
Striuing in Noble Actions to exceede;
Accounting Honour as my greatest Treasure:
Yet various fancies did my frailty feede,
I made and marr'd, I did, and I vndid,
Till all my Greatnesse in a Graue was hid.
EDWARD THE SIXT, KING OF ENGLAND, France and Ireland, Defender of the FAITH, &c.
Edward 6.
I Seem'd in wisdome aged in my youth,
A Princely patterne; I reform'd the time:
With zeale and courage I maintain'd Gods truth,
And Christian faith gainst Antichristian crime.
My Father did begin; I, in my prime,
Both Baal and Beliall from this Kingdome droue,
With concords true harmonious heauenly chime
I caus'd be said and sung Gods truth and loue.
From vertue vnto vertue still I stroue,
I liu'd beloued both of God and men:
My soule vnto her Maker soar'd aboue,
My earthly part returnd to earth agen.
Thus Death, my faire proceedings did preuent,
And Peeres and People did my losse lament.
MARY QVEENE OF ENGLAND, France and Freland, Defender of the FAITH, &c.
Queene Mary.
NO sooner I possest the Royall Throne,
But true Religion straight was dispossest:
Bad Counsell caus'd Rome, Spaine, and I, as one,
To persecute, to martyr, and molest
All that the vnstain'd Truth of God profest:
All such as dar'd oppugne the pow'rfull Pope,
With grieuous Tortures were opprest and prest,
With Axes, Fire, and Faggot, and the Rope.
Scarce any Land beneath the heau'nly Cope,
Afflicted was, as I caus'd this to bee:
And when my fortunes were in highest hope,
Death at the fiue yeares end arrested me.
No Bale would serue, I could command no ayde,
But I in prison in my Graue was laid.
ELIZABETH QVEENE OF ENGLAND, France and Freland, Defender of the FAITH, &c.
Queene Elizabeth.
THe griefes, the feares, the terrours and the toiles,
The sleights, tricks, snares, that for my life were laid;
Popes prisons, poysons, pistols, bloody broyles,
All these encompast me (poore harmlesse Maid)
But I still trusting in my Makers aide,
Was still defended by his power diuine:
My Glory and my Greatnesse was displaid
As farre as Sunne and Moone did euer shine.
Gods mingled seruice I did re-refine
From Romish rubbish, and from humane drosse.
I yearely made the pride of Spaine decline:
France and all Belgin I sau'd from losse.
I was Arts patterne, t'Armes I was a Patron;
I liu'd and dy'd a Queene, a Maid, a Matron.
IAMES, Of that name THE FIRST, And First MONARCH of the whole Iland of GREAT BRITAINE
Vniting vnder one, and the same his most Glorious Crowne, the Kingdomes of ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE and IRELAND:
Gods immediate VICE-GERENT, Supreame HEAD of all Persons:
And Defender of the true, ancient, Christian Faith in these his Empire and Dominions.
Whom God long preserue.
King James.
WEre all the flattry of the world in mee,
(Great King of Hearts and Arts, Great Britaines King
Yet all that flattry could not flatter thee:
Or adde to thy renowne the smallest thing.
My Muse (with truth and freedome) dares to sing,
Thou art a Monarch lou'd of God and men.
Two famous Kingdomes thou to one didst bring,
And gau'st lost Britaines name, her name agen.
Thou causedst Doctors with their learned pen,
The sacred Bible newly to translate.
Thy Wisdome found the damned powderd Den,
That Hell had hatch'd to ouer-throw thy state.
And all the world thy Motto must allow,
The Peace-makers are blest; and so art thou.
CHARLES PRINCE OF WALES, &c.
Prince Charles.
ILlustrious Off-spring, of most glorious Stems,
Our happy hope, our Royall CHARLES the great,
Successiue Heyre to foure Rich Diadems,
With gifts of Grace, and Learning high repleate.
For thee th'Almighties ayde I doe intreate,
To guide and prosper thy proceedings still,
That long thou maist suruiue a Prince compleate,
To guard the Good, and to subuert the Ill.
And when (by Gods determin'd boundlesse will)
Thy gracious Father shall Immortall be,
Then let thy Fame (like his) the world full fill,
That thou maist ioy in vs, and wee in thee.
And all true Britaines pray to God aboue,
To match thy life and fortune with their loue.
FINIS.